What is Chromekey?

Google is reportedly developing a cut-price plug-in dongle that can push smartphone, tablet and computer monitor images to a TV.

Google is reportedly developing a cut-price plug-in dongle that can push smartphone, tablet and computer monitor images to a TV.

According to Droid Life, the device, which connects to a TV or monitor via HDMI and is no bigger than a thumb drive, will support full HD video, offer 2GB of storage and cost a mere $35.

When connected it can mirror content from a smartphone, a tablet or a computer running the Chrome browser, meaning that a TV can become a second wide-screen monitor or a games console or even just a more comfortable and sociable way of watching YouTube.

In some respects, it sounds very similar to Apple's Apple TV, a streaming box that connects to a TV in the same way and which can mirror content from any OSX (desktop or notebook) or iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) device. However, it also has its own apps platform, remote control and direct access to a number of video and content streaming services such as iTunes, YouTube and Netflix. But, at $99, it is also nearly three times as expensive.

Before Google's I/O conference in May a replacement for the company's ill-fated Nexus Q media streaming device was widely expected and clues as to a new device had been found by Chrome developers in the browser and operating system source code.

Droid Life's sources claim that the device could launch within the coming months. And that a software update to Chrome, which will feature a ‘Cast' button for pushing content to other screens in anticipation, is expected to roll out in the coming weeks.